Teaching the Grinch

I am here working at school on my Christmas day and am feeling a bit Grinchy. But next week I am super excited to introduce my Shark class to the world of Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss is one of the most well loved and legendary authors and illustrators of children's literature. I grew up with all his classics.

Sadly when I ask my Junior High and Elementary students if they ever read any of his treasures, they answer with blank faces- they have not ( although one girl in a class of 15 read "Green Eggs and Ham").

 Since exams are over and we have 4 weeks before winter break , my coworker Teacher Kyle and I decided to teach our elementary reading classes, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" starting next week.

I will first present the first set of Vocabulary, and then do our homework in class (flipped theory), play some review games and have group reading. I would like to finish 3 sets of 12 new word, read the story, check their comprehension by week 3, and start a class play. Of course we will have time to make a craft or two and watch the original 1966 version and maybe the more recent 2000 version with Jim Carrey. which takes many creative liberties not on the story, but nonetheless conveys the spirit of Dr. Seuss's Christmas classic.

Listen and read the audio story here

I. Vocabulary (Set 1)

1. reason 原因；理由                         

2. sour      不友好的          

3. frown 皺眉                   

4. beneath 在…下方；到…下方

5. stockings 聖誕長襪

6. growled 發出低沉的吼叫，咆哮

7. nervously 擔憂地，焦慮地

8. drumming 使）敲擊 

9. feast 盛宴；宴會

10. rare 稀少的；罕見的；不常發生的

11. can’t stand受不了，見不得

12. awful極壞的；惡劣的

Vocabulary Set 2:

1. throat頸前部；咽喉，喉嚨              10. glee快樂；興奮

2. chuckle 輕聲笑；暗自發笑               11. shove推，推擠，推撞

3. cluck 咂舌，發出嘖嘖聲                  12. dove鴿子

4. scarce 難得的，稀有的，

5. snooze 打盹，小睡

6. hissed 小聲且生氣地說

7. pinch 捏，擰，掐，夾

8. unpleasant粗魯的

9. nimbly （行動）靈活的，敏捷的

Set 3 Vocab:

1. slick      油滑的，華而不實的    10. shook 打顫，發抖

2. fib 小謊                                 11. shocking 不正當的，令人厭惡的

3. fooled 愚弄（某人 )                 12. puzzling

4. hooks 鉤子

5. wire 金屬絲；金屬線

6. crumb 麵包屑；糕餅渣

7. wrappings (禮品）包裝紙

8. tags標籤，標牌

9. merry 愉快的，快樂的

II. Vocabulary Fill in the blanks

1. We ________   __________ the ____________ weather.  (We hate the terrible weather).

2. Mom and Dad kissed _________ the mistletoe. (under)

3. During Christmas, kids hang their __________ above the fireplace.

4. The students _____________  _____________ their fingers while they took the test. (worriedly, hit)

5. They ate ________ animals during their family __________. (uncommon, big meal)

6. Perhaps the ____________ you failed the test was because you don’t have good study habits.

7. The street dog _________ at me when I got close.

8. The mean old man gave me a _________ ___________ when I asked him the time. (unfriendly face)

III. Comprehension.

1. What kind of person was the Grinch in the beginning?

2. What adjectives does the author use to show the Grinch’s personality? When he talks? When he moves?

Adjectives for Grinch talking	Adjectives for how Grinch moves

3. What adjectives does Dr. Seuss use to describe the town?

4. What is the one thing the Grinch hated? Why do you think he hated this so much?

5. How many years has the Grinch put up with Christmases near the town?

6. What was his wonderfully awful idea?

7. How did the townspeople response change the Grinch?

8. There are more than one message/moral to this story. What might they be?

        a.

        b.

        c.

III. Christmas Objects: What were the 17 objects the Grinch stole from the townspeople?

1.                                      2.                             17.

3.                                     4.

5.                                     6.

7.                                     8.

9.                                     10.

11.                                    12.

13.                                    14.

15.                                    16.